Panko Chicken carbonara recipe consists of a rich carbonara sauce with pancetta, succulent shrimp, red bell pepper, delicious chicken, and cooked pasta.
This dish is an Olive Garden copycat recipe that combines juicy shrimp and chicken in a creamy carbonara sauce with pancetta or bacon bits. We have adapted this recipe to our taste preferences and our version is easier and has no cream in it.
This dish requires quite a few steps but in the end, it is totally worth it and you can enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home. Enjoy with a side of garlic bread or a simple salad.
Love pasta comfort food recipes? Try these family favorites next: Shrimp and Sausage Pasta, Fajita Pasta, and Chicken Alfredo Bake.
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🛒Ingredients
- Pasta - Fettuccine or spaghetti pasta is preferred if you want it to be as authentic carbonara as it comes. You can use gluten-free or low-carb pasta as a substitute for regular pasta.
- Cheese - You can use Parmesan cheese, Pecorino Romano, or a combination of both.
- Minced garlic clove - Garlic adds a pungent, savory flavor that pairs well with the shrimp. If you don't like garlic, you could try using shallots or scallions instead. Don't be shy to add more garlic by doubling it up if you love the flavor.
- Tender shrimp - 11-12 large shrimp. You can use scallops or crab meat as a substitute for shrimp. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you can use mushrooms or tofu instead.
- Chicken - 1 large chicken breast that is butterflied. Chicken strips can also be used instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can use turkey, bacon, or pancetta as a substitute for chicken. You can also omit the chicken altogether and make a shrimp carbonara dish.
- Breadcrumbs - I’ve used Panko breadcrumbs but you can also make your own from scratch.
- Cooking oil - Extra virgin olive oil or another neutral oil of your choice.
- Pancetta - You can also use traditional guanciale and cut it into thicker strips with a good amount of fat in it, as the fat creates a creamy sauce when added to pasta water.
- Egg yolks
- Bell pepper - These vegetables add a touch of sweetness and crunch to the dish. If you don't like onions or bell peppers, you could use other vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach.
- Black pepper - To taste
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
🥘 Instructions
For the veggies.
In a large saucepan add a tablespoon of olive oil. Let onions and bell peppers sizzle together on medium-high heat until they're almost softened. Don't forget to give them a good stir every now and then. Set aside.
For the shrimp.
Sprinkle some salt and black pepper on the shrimp and toss them in the skillet with minced garlic. Cook the shrimp until they turn a beautiful pink color. Once they're done, set them aside on a plate and cover them up with aluminum foil to keep them warm and juicy while you cook up the rest of the dish.
For the Panko chicken.
In a small mixing bowl whisk the egg. In another bowl, combine some flour and panko breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt.
Dunk the chicken pieces in the egg, then roll them around in the panko-flour mixture until they're fully coated.
Add a bit more oil to the skillet and cook those chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side until they're nice and golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Once they're done, transfer them to a plate with some paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
For the next step take a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, parmesan cheese, and a splash of pasta cooking water.
You'll see when the mixture is ready as it starts to thicken. However, the mixture should be thick yet still pourable. Set aside.
For the pasta.
Cook pasta al dente in a pot with water, without adding salt. Do not drain the pasta just yet, you’ll need the ‘’wet pasta’’ for the next step. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water separately.
While the pasta is cooking, take a new larger clean skillet (should be large enough to fit the entire dish later) over medium-low heat cook pancetta with black pepper to taste (no oil).
In traditional carbonara, chefs are not shy about adding lots of black pepper when frying bacon.
Take half of the pancetta out on a side plate (for garnish).
Use kitchen tongs to transfer the cooked pasta over to the skillet. Don't worry about draining it first - you'll want to keep a bit of that starchy cooking water to help bind everything together.
If it's a little too thick, don't worry! Just add in a splash or two of that reserved pasta cooking water until you get the perfect consistency. Just be careful not to add too much!
Give it all a good stir until the pasta is coated in that delicious sauce and all the flavors are melded together perfectly.
🦐 Make Next: Sheet Pan Shrimp and Asparagus
To assemble.
Stir in bell peppers and onions, and top with panko chicken and garlicky shrimp. Pile them high on top of the pasta, and don't be shy with that freshly chopped parsley and black pepper.
This dish is all about the flavor and the presentation, so go ahead and make it look as beautiful as it tastes. Enjoy!
📋Tips
- It’s important to cook the pasta al dente since it will continue to cook before being served. Cooking the pasta al dente will provide the ideal texture of a firm bite for this pasta dish.
- All protein in this dish must be cooked separately to ensure that it is cooked properly and won’t overcook in the pasta sauce.
- Carbonara is a simple dish which is why it’s important to use high-quality ingredients.
- Reserve pasta water as you'll need it for adding later in the recipe to make the creamy sauce. Don’t salt the hot water when cooking the pasta as the other ingredients already contain a good amount of salt.
- Black pepper is a simple but important ingredient in a carbonara dish. Use freshly ground black pepper to add bold flavor that complements the creamy sauce and meat.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken once it has cooked in a large skillet to ensure that it's safe to eat.
- Shrimp - shrimp will cook very fast, about 1 minute per side.
- For a low-carb meal, cook the chicken, shrimp, and vegetables, but swap the pasta for cooked quinoa instead. And the chicken can be cooked without crumbs, but this will change the delicious flavor of the entire dish.
- Flavor - well seasoned, salty without adding any salt at all. Ultra creamy.
- Make it light - Use ground chicken, ground turkey or chicken breast instead of shrimp and panko breaded chicken.
- Pancetta needs lots of black pepper. If you can find it, it is best to use traditional guanciale and cut it into thicker strips with lots of fat in it. Fat is what creates the creamy sauce once combined with pasta water.
✅ EXPERT TIP A quick, note, just like with Salmon recipes, if possible go for wild-caught shrimp over farmed shrimp. As the ocean is the natural environment for shrimp, wild-caught shrimp will typically taste better thanks to its natural diet.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store the carbonara pasta in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. If you can, keep the panko chicken separately as it will become soggy quickly.
- 🥶Freezing. You can freeze the pasta dish but pasta doesn’t freeze well as well as the shrimp or breaded chicken that has been tossed in the sauce. Once thawed, the shrimp may become overly soft, rubbery, and mushy. The sauce will separate and even with an added extra cream or broth, it won't be as fresh.
- 🔥To Reheat Leftovers. Reheat on the stove or microwave adding some more broth or water as the pasta will absorb all of it while it sits. Reheat on lower heat until the sauce warmed through and starts to simmer.
👪Serving Suggestions
Carbonara pasta is a rich and flavorful dish that is already a filling and satisfying meal on its own, so don't feel like you need to serve too many side dishes here.
For a wholesome dinner, a simple recipe for leafy green salad and some crusty bread would be enough. Here's what we love:
- Salad - light olive oil-based dressing salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes. Or Caesar Salad, vinegary cucumber salad or Mediterranean salad.
- Garlic bread - or simple crusty bread to dip in the leftover sauce.
- Roasted vegetables - broccoli, asparagus, corn, brussel sprouts, carrots.
🤷Frequently Asked Questions
Classic Italian carbonara sauce typically consists of eggs, black pepper, cheese (pecorino Romano or parmesan), and pancetta (or guanciale).
Alfredo sauce consists of cream, butter, and parmesan cheese, while carbonara sauce consists of eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and pancetta. Chicken alfredo is made with chicken while carbonara is traditionally made with pancetta or bacon, although some variations also include chicken and shrimp.
Alfredo sauce is a heavier sauce made with heavy cream while carbonara sauce is lighter with a silkier texture from the use of eggs.
This dish pairs well with steamed greens, Italian breadsticks, roasted vegetables, or a light green salad.
Cooking the pasta al dente is key for carbonara. The pasta must be firm to the bite, especially since it will continue to cook before it reaches the plate!
Carbonara is technically neither a white sauce nor a cheese sauce. While it contains cheese, it’s not made primarily with cheese. Likewise, while some carbonara sauces contain cream, it’s not a traditional white sauce since it doesn’t include a roux (a combination of flour and melted butter).
⏲️ Recommended Equipment
- Nonstick Skillet or Dutch Oven Pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
Easy Pasta Recipes
- Ramen With Vegetables
- Best Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Spicy Vodka Pasta
- Chicken Pasta Bake With Alfredo Sauce
- Pasta Fazool
- Chipotle Chicken Pasta
📖Recipe
Panko Chicken Carbonara and Shrimp Pasta (No cream)
Ingredients
For Creamy Pasta
- 8 oz fettuccine, or spaghetti pasta
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, or pecorino
- ½ cup brown onion, diced
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- 11-12 large shrimp, about 11 oz
- 1 large chicken breast , butterflied, about 10 oz
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , or neutral cooking oil your choice
- 1 cup pancetta or more traditional Guanciale or fatty bacon, diced
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup bell pepper, sliced medium thick
- black pepper, to taste
For Breading
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Veggies. In a large saucepan add a tablespoon of olive oil. Let onions and bell peppers sizzle together on medium-high heat until they're almost softened. Don't forget to give them a good stir every now and then. Set aside.
- Shrimp. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper on the shrimp and toss them in the skillet with minced garlic. Cook the shrimp until they turn a beautiful pink color. Once they're done, set them aside on a plate and cover them up with aluminum foil to keep them warm and juicy while you cook up the rest of the dish.
- Panko Chicken. In a small mixing bowl whisk the egg. In another bowl, combine some flour and panko breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt. Dunk the chicken pieces in the egg, then roll them around in the panko-flour mixture until they're fully coated.
- Add a bit more oil to the skillet and cook those chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side until they're nice and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Once they're done, transfer them to a plate with some paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
- Egg yolks. For the next step take a medium bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, parmesan cheese and a splash of pasta cooking water. You'l lsee when the mixture is ready as it starts to thicken. However, the mixture should be thick yet still pourable. Set aside.
- Pasta. Cook pasta al dente in a pot with water, without adding salt. Do not drain the pasta just yet, you’ll need the ‘’wet pasta’’ for the next step. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water separately.
- While the pasta is cooking, take a new larger clean skillet (should be large enough to fit the entire dish later) over medium-low heat cook pancetta with black pepper to taste (no oil). In traditional carbonara chefs are not shy with adding lots of black pepper when frying bacon. Take half of the pancetta out on a side plate (for garnish).
- Use kitchen tongs to transfer the cooked pasta over to the skillet. Don't worry about draining it first - you'll want to keep a bit of that starchy cooking water to help bind everything together. If it's a little too thick, don't worry! Just add in a splash or two of that reserved pasta cooking water until you get the perfect consistency. Just be careful not to add too much! Give it all a good stir until the pasta is coated in that delicious sauce and all the flavors are melded together perfectly.
- Assemble. Stir in bell peppers and onions, and top with panko chicken and garlicky shrimp. Pile them high on top of the pasta, and don't be shy with that freshly chopped parsley and black pepper. This dish is all about the flavor and the presentation, so go ahead and make it look as beautiful as it tastes. Enjoy!
Just a few steps and prep involved but it is so worth it to enjoy a satisfying restaurant quality dish from the comfort fo your home!